Dispensing package



Oct. 31, 1961 P. MEsHBERG 3,006,340

DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed March 5, 1958 INVENTOR. P [90 Mescfy J0 BY ATTOENEY United States Patent O 3,006,340 DISPENSING PACKAGE Philip Meshberg, 290 Euclid Ave., Fairfield, Conn. Filed Mar. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 718,511 3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-203) The present invention relates to a dispensing package for aerosols and more particularly to an applicator means or adapter for oral or nasal application of pharmaceuticals.

Heretofore, it has been the practice in oral or nasal applications of a pharmaceutical to provide an adapter as a removable unit, which unit is normally stored in a case or the like and is applied to the aerosol container when it is desired to dispense the pharmaceutical. This prior practice had the disadvantages that it requires an assembly operation by the patient, that the adapter, and particularly the part applied Ito the mouth or nose, can be contaminated in storage or in handling -as it is applied to the container, and that the pharmaceutical was frequently accidentally discharged during transit or the application of the adapter to the container with the result of soiling the hands and yalso of destroying the dosage of the pharmaceutical contained in the container.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by providing a dispensing package in which the adapter is permanently mounted on the container and is provided with protective means for preventing contamination thereof and with means preventing inadvertent operation of the dispenser to insure accurate and complete discharge of the pharmaceutical.

This is accomplished by providing an applicator means or adapter which is connected to the container and the dispensing valve on the container so as to form =a dispensing package to dispense the pharmaceutical therefrom. The adapter is applied to the container at the factory, preferably when the container is filled with the pharmaceutical and thereafter remains a part of the package. Further, the `adapter is provided with a removable cover wh-ich protects the portions of 4the Iadapter which come in contact with the mouth or nose from contamination and with means for preventing inadvertent operation of the valve to dispense the aerosol therefrom.

'Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification land claims when considered in connection with the `drawings in which:

FIGURE l shows a View of the aerosol container with an oral Vadapter secured thereto and in section thereon.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the upper end of the container with the adapter thereon showing the means for preventing inadvertent action of the actuation of the device.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. l showing a container with a nasal adapter secured thereto.

As shown in FIG. 1, a container for an aerosol has a neck or extension 11 projecting from one end thereof in which is mounted the usual aerosol valve (not shown) having a tubular valve stem 12 proqecting therefrom and adapted to actuate the valve upon relative movement thereof with respect to the container. The valve may be of any desired type; preferably, it is a metered valve adapted to discharge a predetermined amount of the aerosol for each operation of the mem-ber connected thereto. One such valve is ldisclosed in my patent, No. 2,721,010. While the aerosol in the container may be of any type, the present invention has particular utility in connection with aerosol pharmaceuticals of the .type which must be directed into the nose or mouth in prescribed doses.

In accordance With the present invention the adapter unit comprises a sleeve or collar 13 which is secured by a force fit or otherwise connected to the container. As

3,006,340 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 herein illustrated'it is secured to the extension 11 on the container and is provided with a lng or pin 14 extending laterally therefrom. Preferably, the sleeve or collar is made of resilient material such as a polyethylene or the like so that the pin can be readily snapped into position as will be explained.

The applicator means or adapter for dispensing the fluid comprises a member 15 having a depending sleeve 16 adapted to surround the sleeve or collar 13. The member 15 has an axial bore 17 opening at the bottom end thereof adapted to receive the end of the valve stern 12 to mount the member thereon for movement therewith. Passages 18 and 19 are formed in the member and communicate with the end of the -bore 17 to receive the aerosol from the tubular valve s-tem. The member is provided with a portion 15a on .the endopposite said sleeve 16 for receiving linger pressure to move the valve inwardly to dispense the aerosol from the container through the stem. The passage 19 is connected to the applying portion 20 of the adapter.

While the applying portion can take various shapes and extend in various directions, it is shown in FIG. l as comprising an enlarged tubular nozzle 21 which eX- tends laterally `of said member and is adapted to be inserted in the mouth for oral application of pharmaceuticals. The enlarged tubnl-ar portion has a substantially larger inner diameter than ythe passages 18, 19 inV the member and directs the dispensed pharmaceutical, as it passes from the container to the area where the application is required. While the tubular nozzle can be made of any desired length or can be made Vof a telescopic member for extension, it is herein illustrated as a relatively short projection.

In order to protect the nozzle part of the applicator orV adapter which is placed in contact with the month against contamination, the present invention provides a removable cover 22 in the form of a sleeve 22a connected to a closed end 23. As shown, the sleeve 22a telescopes over and engages the outer surface of the tubular nozzle 21 and completely protects it from such contact -as might result in contamination. If desired, fan inner sleeve 221;

.Y can be provided to engage the inner surfaces of the tubular nozzle, as shown in PIG. l, thus effectively protecting all of the mouth-engaging surfaces against contamination. Also, the closed end 23 of the closure member or cover prevents particles of dust or the like from inadvertentlsl entering the tubular nozzle and the passages connected therewith during storage of the package.

In order to prevent inadvertent operation of the valve by :accidental inward movement of the member 15, the adapter, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, has its depending sleeve 16, which surrounds the sleeve or collar 13 secured -to the container and is rotatable and axially slidable with respect thereto, provided with means to block axial movement thereof with respect to said collar. While this may take many forms Vit is herein illustrated as a groove or slot 24 formed in the sleeve 16 to cooperate with the pinV 14 carried by the collar. As noted above the collar and pin are of resilient material so that the pin can be snapped into position in the groove or slot in the sleeve when the member is inserted over the `coll-ar `and into position on the valve stem. The interlocking of the pin on the collar with the slot on the member permanently secures the member to the container so as to form a complete dispensing package.

While the slot may take many shapes, it is herein illustrated as lan L-shaped slot in the sleeve arranged so that when the pin 14 rides in the vertical portion 24a of the slot, the member and connected valve stern can be depressed to dispense the aerosol whereas when the member is turned relative to the sleeve so that the pin is in the horizontal portion 24b of the L-shaped slot, it is effectively locked against inward movement as would accidentally discharge the aerosol from the container. This is a substantial advance in the art as it not only preventsj unintentional discharge while being carried -by the patient but also during shipping thereby insuring the maximum amount of pharmaceutical for the patient.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 3 which is adapted for use as a nasal applicator, the structure of the adapter is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 with the exception that the nozzle 25 is Itapered and provided with a central bore 26 extending from the -tip to the passages 18, 19 in the member. It will be noted that cover 22 can beY mounted on the nozzle to protect that portion which is adapted to Contact the nose from contamination in storage or when otherwise not in use.

The applicator means or adapter of the present invention can be formed from metal or plastics capable of withstanding shock Vor high temperatures necessary for sterilization'. The adapter is applied to the container, to become permanently attached thereto, at the factory so as to form a complete dispensing package. Further the adapter can be sold as a separate device and be installed on the container by the filler of the container or can be installed by a manufacturer on a lled container prior to its sale, thus eliminating thenecessity of the patient or person using( the device from having to assemble the device whenever it is desired to use the pharmaceutical. Further the dispensing package can be sealed with the pin in the locking slotV 1and thus insure delivery of the required content of the container.

Y' Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A dispensing package for an aerosol comprising an aerosol container having an aerosol therein, valve means for dispensing a measured quantity of said aerosol for each operation-thereof, said valve means including a projecting stem portion having a passage therein for said aerosol, means for directing said dispensed aerosol comprising a member mounted on said stem 'and having a laterally extending nozzle provided with a passage communicating with said passage in said stem, and pin and slot means interconnecting said member and container, said slot forming a tortuous path for said pin to prevent inadvertent movement 'of said member to operate said valve stem connected thereto, said pin and slot means being adapted to prevent operation of said member and said stem.

2. A nasal adapter for mounting on an aerosol container having a pharmaceutical therein to form a dispensing package for said pharmaceutical, said container having valve means, including a projecting stem portion having a passage therein, for dispensing a measured quantity of said pharmaceutical therefrom for each opera- Y entering the passage in said member, a coll-ar adapted to be secured to the container, and pin and slot means interconnecting said collar and member, said slot forming a tortuous path for said pin to prevent inadvertent operation of said member and valve stem connected thereto. 3. An oral adapter for mounting on an aerosol con-y tainer having a pharmaceutical therein to form a dispensing package for said pharmaceutical, said container having.

valve means, including a projecting stem portion having a passage therein, for dispensing a measured quantity of said pharmaceutical therefrom for each operation of the valve, said adapter comprising a member mounted on said stem and having an enlarged projecting tubular nozzle connected to a passage of smaller diameter communicating with said passage in said stern, ya removable protective cover overlying the end of said nozzle to prevent contamination of said end .and to prevent foreign matter from entering the passage in said member, a collar adapted -to be secured to the container and have at least a portion thereof in overlapped relation with said member, and pin and slot means interconnecting said overlapped collar and member, said slot forming a tortuous path for said pin to prevent inadvertent operation of said member and valve stem connected thereto.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Dec. l2, 1956 Patent No. 3,00634O UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE n CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION october :1LA 1961 Philip Meshberq I It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Columnl, line 58MI for "proqecting read projecting column 3, line 489 for "operation" read ,separation w.

' Signed and sealed this 3rd day of April 1962.'a

(SEAL) Attest:-

ERNEST WSW/'1111111 Attesting Officer DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Paten 

